Turkish · dinner, lunch

Akçaabat Köfte (Trabzon Grilled Beef Meatballs)

Akçaabat Köfte

Akçaabat Köfte (Trabzon Grilled Beef Meatballs) — from Harun Aksu's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 10:20

Video by Harun Aksu on YouTube, in Turkish · Open on YouTube

50 minServes 6495 kcal a serve
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free

Contains: Gluten. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

42 g protein and 15 g net carbs a serve: freshly ground beef köfte with just a little stale bread as binder, grilled over charcoal and served with grilled peppers and tomatoes.

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Ingredients 6

Method

The cook speaks Turkish; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.

  1. Cut the rib meat and shoulder into chunks, along with the caul fat or suet. 0:55
  2. Put the meat and fat in a bowl with the stale bread torn into pieces and the garlic. 2:00
  3. Pass everything through a meat grinder, knead it briefly, then grind it a second time for a fine, smooth mince. 2:30
  4. Add the salt and knead the mince for several minutes, wetting your hands now and then, until it is sticky and holds together well. 4:10
  5. With wet hands, shape small flat oval köfte and lay them on a tray. 5:20
  6. Light a charcoal grill. When the coals glow, grill the peppers and tomato halves. 6:15
  7. Grill the köfte over the hot coals, turning once, until browned on both sides and cooked through. 7:25
  8. Serve the köfte hot with the grilled peppers and tomatoes. 8:55

Tip. Serves 6 is our estimate for about 1.35 kg of mix. No charcoal? Use a very hot griddle pan. The 15 g of salt is generous; use less if you like. The cook also serves grilled bread and an onion-parsley salad; skip the bread to keep carbs low.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 6

Energy495 kcal2,070 kJ
Protein42 g84% of a day
Fibre1.9 g7% of a day
Carbohydrate17 g15 g net · 3.1 g sugars6% of a day
Fat28 g10 g saturated36% of a day
Sodium1,220 mg53% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 12%
  • Protein 35%
  • Fat 53%

Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.

One serve has about 53% of a day’s sodium. Use less salt, stock or sauce, or a reduced-salt version, to bring it down.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Vitamin B12 High169%

4 µg a serve, mostly from beef rib meat (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Zinc High89%

9.8 mg a serve, mostly from beef rib meat (96%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Selenium High69%

38 µg a serve, mostly from beef rib meat (83%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Vitamin B6 High42%

0.7 mg a serve, mostly from beef rib meat (79%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Vitamin C High37%

33 mg a serve, mostly from long green peppers (73%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Iron High25%

4.6 mg a serve, mostly from beef rib meat (85%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Potassium Source16%

750 mg a serve, mostly from beef rib meat (68%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Magnesium Source11%

48 mg a serve, mostly from beef rib meat (66%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

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Vitamin K8%

9.5 µg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (52%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Folate8%

33 µg a serve, mostly from beef rib meat (40%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Vitamin E7%

1.1 mg a serve, mostly from beef rib meat (55%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Omega-36%

0.1 g a serve, mostly from beef rib meat (92%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Calcium5%

62 mg a serve, mostly from beef rib meat (60%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Vitamin A4%

32 µg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (83%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Vitamin D1%

0.1 µg a serve, mostly from beef rib meat (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by Harun Aksu; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.